Bardahl, with experience of more than 81 years in the field of automotive mobility solutions, and ELVI, its sole associate in India having exclusive rights for the South Asian market, together are known as ELVI Bardahl India – a familiar name in the Indian OEM and aftermarket in the oil and lubricant space. Rajesh Rajgor obtains details from Shivam Sawhney, Senior General Manager (Sales and Business Development) about the company’s product plans for the changing Indian automotive market
Could you give us a sense of the range of greases, lubricants and engine oils that you manufacture and their unique value propositions?
Product quality is the key to gain and maintain satisfied customers. After all, it’s product quality which gives recognition to any brand in the market. At ELVI, all automotive mineral type engine oils are blended in premium quality Group 2 base oils. Group 1 base oils are being used for formulating mineral type transmission oils and soluble cutting oils. ELVI uses premium quality Group 3 base oils for blending premium range engine oils for BS VI and BS VI engines. We use high-quality German PAMA VI improver with zero SSI, which helps in maintaining the viscosity within range even at high sheer and high stress operations.
Additionally, we are using premium quality additives of US standards for blending our lubricant range, ensuring that all our products meet the highest level technical standards laid out by leading certifying agencies. All Bardahl oil treatments contain the unique and patented Bardahl ‘Polar Attraction Formula’ which is a combination of ingredients that act together to reduce friction and wear. It provides distinct molecular protective film on metal surface to reduce wear and friction.
What would you recommend for heavy-duty vehicles requiring a lubricant that stays for long and has the thickness and ability to provide enough smoothness between moving parts while looking for higher uptime?
To address the latest demands of the new generation BS VI engine Oils, ELVI Bardahl has introduced XTS Syntronic 15W-40, API CK-4 for heavy-duty diesel engine vehicles. For meeting new generation engine oil requirements for BS IV and BS VI engines, ELVI Bardahl has introduced complete range of viscosities from 0W-20 API SN+, 0W-40, API SN+, 5W-40 API SN+, 5W-40 API SN|CF, 5W-30 API SN+, 5W-30 API SN|CF, 10W30, API CK4, 15W-40, API CK4 and 15W-40, API CI4+.
Could you kindly highlight a few parameters through which your products help enhance the overall performance of the commercial vehicles? How many hours have the products been tested for long-haul applications requiring higher uptime and faster turnaround time?
The unique dispersant additive technology of our heavy-duty diesel engine oils helps in oil thickening due to soot formation in extreme operation conditions. The special booster present in our HDDEO helps in extending ODI from normal 60,000 km to 100,000 km (API CI-4 Plus 15W-40).
Could you list a few landmarks or milestones achieved in your company’s product research and development for high-viscosity engine oils, gear oils, transmission oils and lubricants?
We could develop and supply engine oil and radiator coolant with an excellent low temperature flow characteristics ranging up to -50 degrees Celsius. This has helped customers whose vehicles were stranded in the Ladakh area of Kashmir due to oil solidification issues. As per the request of some of our customers, we could develop a special type of fuel additive which also could work even up to -54 degrees Celsius. We have an in-house product development facility, well-equipped with a testing facility. Our stringent quality monitoring and inspection process is done by a dedicated team of specialists. Thanks to these we have had successful products for Volvo trucks, namely, 15W40, API CK4 for BS VI engines and 15W40, API CI4+ for new generation BS IV engines.
Bardahl recently conducted the ‘no oil run’ tests. These are extreme tests where the vehicle is run without any engine oil after treating with Bardahl. They performed absolutely normal. In Malaysia, a Proton car covered over 1,300 km without engine oil after treating with Bardahl additives. In Italy, a Volvo truck covered over 200 km without engine oil after treating with Bardahl additives. We also have API approval for a complete range of products for new generation BS IV and BS VI engines. Our global product approvals are for brands like Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volve, Porsche, Volkswagen, etc.
Where are your manufacturing plants located for Indian requirements? What is their total capacity and what is their level of utilisation? Is there any plan for expansion given the growth of the automotive industry in India and the APAC region?
We have ISO 9001-certified automated manufacturing facilities at Vapi, Gujarat. The total lubricant manufacturing capacity in the existing plant is 12,000 KL annually in a single shift. The total coolant manufacturing capacity in the existing plant is 6,000 KL per annum in a single shift. A new state-of-the-art production facility is also being developed at Vapi. ELVI is also expanding in terms of backward integration, setting up two subsidiary units to support input supplies to the main plant. Apart from manufacturing facilities, ELVI also has a separate warehousing facility at Vapi.
What has the company’s CAGR for India been as a brand? What was it in the previous fiscal year and where do you want to be in the next three years in terms of revenue and brand recall?
Our sales have doubled during the last 8-10 months. We are focusing on building new infrastructures with more investments planned to further strengthen our research and development and manufacturing capabilities. Our co-branded range of products was launched during last year with HERO Moto Corp. We also have a presence in the service network of almost all the major OEMs including passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and the agriculture segment.
How many direct distributors, retailers and sales or technical service representatives do you have in India? We have a network of around 195+ direct distributors, which is growing further every month. We have a reliable pan-India network for supply of products and access to global trends and information in the automotive field which we share with our business partners for collective growth. We offer the best global standard performance products to ensure consistent quality of our products. We are a single point solution for multiple needs with a bigger product portfolio in various segments. We believe in and follow ethical business relationships by being a business partner of our customers instead of merely being a vendor or seller partner.